by Kristine Checheris
I didn’t want to do a man’s job; I wanted to do my “own” job. That’s why I’m here.
Construction has a perception of being a male-dominated industry. And historically, that’s primarily been the reality. But today, construction is not only open to women – it needs them. Here are a few areas I’ve personally seen and heard why the construction industry needs more women to join the workforce.
- Growing Workforce Shortage
- Diversity of Ideas
- Perceptions and Culture
Women who want a job traditionally done chiefly by men do so for the same reasons men have for decades.
- Hours are Good
- Pays Well
- The Work is Enjoyable
But … there’s more. You can make a difference and impact within an industry that is open and eager to hear and learn more from women. I’m grateful to be experiencing this firsthand and invite you to explore the vast array of opportunities within construction. And there are many! I took one in software, and I’m working with fantastic people across many different roles. After listening to them, my perception of why I got into this industry changed. I transitioned my role of doing my “own” job into our job. My new reality was born.
In the construction industry, the “job” is the project. And you can’t get a project done on your “own”. The project is ours. With the industry being heavily male-dominated, imagine how a female can impact a project by contributing to the culture and changing the perception through achieving the desired outcome through our accomplishment mentality.
I’m proud to say my Minneapolis-based work location ranks #1 with a 19.1% female employment share in the construction industry. But that’s not the case with many cities. Only 20 out of 51 of the largest US cities are above 10%, with many mid-size and small towns clearly needing more women.
Check out this link to see how your location ranks with Women in Construction:
If you’re thinking about making an impact, not only on others but within yourself, I’d like to suggest looking into a career in construction. To get you started, here are a couple of industry resource groups:
